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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26796490">(got me trippin’ like) wow</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/igotostay/pseuds/igotostay'>igotostay</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>wow [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Stray Kids (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - College/University, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Bang Chan is Bad at Feelings, Lee Minho | Lee Know Is Bad at Feelings, Lee Minho | Lee Know-centric, M/M, Misunderstandings, Nothing explicit, Roommates, also danceracha, both of them just suck at communicating, both of them overthink a lot, danceracha comfort, mentioned hyunsung, minchan, mostly minchan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 07:08:24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,317</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26796490</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/igotostay/pseuds/igotostay</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>minho's hand fell from the doorknob as he took in the scene in front of him. he didn't really know what to feel, much less what he should do next. the next time he blinked, his eyes locked with chan's. the latter, freezing in his movement and pulling out of the girl. </p>
<p>"uh... sorry... about that... um... i'll just go... enjoy?" minho winced as he backtracked out of chan's room.</p>
<p>OR; minho really likes chan but comes home to chan hooking up with someone else. it’s all a big mess of poor communication, but they eventually sort it out.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Bang Chan/Lee Minho | Lee Know, Han Jisung | Han/Hwang Hyunjin</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>wow [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1954153</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>219</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>(got me trippin’ like) wow</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>minho slammed his head against his desk. he didn't understand, he actually studied for this. god, why was english so difficult. he gripped his paper in his hand tightly, groaning as he stood up. the taunting 45/100 screamed at him and he violently shoved it into his backpack before making his way back to the dorm.</p>
<p>minho picked up his pace, pulling his coat tighter around his body. the cold autumn breeze was getting stronger, and all minho wanted now was his roommate's warm cuddles. it was ironic really. chan, the aussie, had tutored him for his paper. yet, he had failed it.</p>
<p>minho mentally prepared what he would tell chan when he reached home. maybe something along the lines of "you're such a bad teacher". but minho would deny that it was his own fault. perhaps being too distracted by chan to even understand a word of what he was saying.</p>
<p>they had been spending so much time together lately. on mondays to wednesdays, chan would teach minho english. and on thursdays to saturdays, minho would tutor chan on computer science. this meant that the minho had spent all his evenings with chan in the past few months. with each little chats they had over dinner, and their sunday cuddles, minho found himself falling for his roommate more and more.</p>
<p>minho couldn't help it, chan was simply irresistable. and he knew he wasn't alone on this. he knew of the many hushed whispers girls and guys gave whenever chan walked past them on campus. but none of them ever saw chan so up close. if minho earned a dollar for everytime his heartrate accelerated around chan, he would be a millionaire. christ, he wasn't even really sure how he was alive after all the times his heart had given up on him.</p>
<p>chan's face framed by the setting sun, chan's dimples, the twinkles in chan's eyes whenever they moved to the windowsill to study, the galaxy in chan's eyes highlighted by the gentle moonlight. everytime chan's body wracked with laughter, minho felt his heart stop and his smile soften. god, for someone whose physique is so muscular, chan was always so gentle and adorable.</p>
<p>minho shook his head as he neared their dorms. chan probably only saw him platonically, but that didn't stop both boys from cuddling during a bad day. minho knew chan would comfort him with his soft smiles, warm hugs and maybe even feed him ice cream as they watched their latest drama.</p>
<p>the music from minho's earphones got louder as he stepped into the silent hallways. most of the people in their building were from the arts too, but many were acting students, or those who majored in instruments. it was only a handful that shared either minho and chan's courses of dance and music production respectively. </p>
<p>minho began humming under his breath softly, heartbeat picking up as he neared their room. chan would always make everything better. he knew it, and he was more than ready to rid the heavy feeling in his chest. failing tests was something minho would never get used to, the inexplainable stench of failure affecting him more than he would ever let on. </p>
<p>minho set his bag down on their couch before shuffling to chan's room. as he stood in front of chan's door, he paused. this was weird, chan never closed his door. maybe he was working on a music project today. a smirk appeared on minho's face as he considered scaring the elder. oh, it would be so great. chan was always absorbed into his work, never even noticing when minho sat next to him. </p>
<p>minho turned the doorknob, mouth open, ready to yell out a scream of surprise at chan. but surprised, he was. minho's eyes landed on chan, but chan was definitely not producing music. the shirtless elder would have immediately made minho drool and perhaps fall onto his knees. but that would definitely not be appropriate right now. not while chan was screwing a classmate of his. </p>
<p>minho's hand fell from the doorknob as he took in the scene in front of him. he didn't really know what to feel, much less what he should do next. the next time he blinked, his eyes locked with chan's. the latter, freezing in his movement and pulling out of the girl. </p>
<p>"uh... sorry... about that... um... i'll just go... enjoy?" minho winced as he backtracked out of chan's room.</p>
<p>minho could feel the tears welling in his eyes as he shut chan's door. well, this was not a good day. minho gripped his shirt tightly as he removed the earphones from his ears. maybe he should've taken them off way earlier. maybe he would have heard them then. maybe he should've been more observant, noting the pair of high heels by their front door. maybe he shouldn't have been so obsessed with chan. maybe then, he wouldn't be feeling this pain.</p>
<p>minho grabbed his backpack and walked out their dorm. he paused for a moment, where could he go? it wasn't like he was very sociable in the first place. there wasn't anyone that came to mind, whose room he could visit to have a good cry. with his hands tightly bounded in his shirt, he mindlessly shuffled to his dance studio. here, no one would find him. no one would see his pathetic tears as he cried over a pathetic crush he had on his roommate. </p>
<p>minho turned the lights on as he shut the auto-lock door behind him. only dance club committee members had access to this room, and he was sure his peers wouldn't be here today. they were all probably busy celebrating over their results. it was the dancers' off-week after all. </p>
<p>minho blasted his music loud. maybe he could dance the pain away. he forced all his energy into each step, pushing himself harder than necessary. he hadn't even been training for the past week, something that definitely affected his performance. and to think about all the sandwiches and ice cream he had eaten, courtesy of chan. god, chan. everything in minho's life perpetually revolved around chan now. his favourite cafe, was now both their hangout spots. his cats had even warmed up to chan. </p>
<p>he tried to push chan out of his mind as he worked on an old choreo. he wasn't even in the right mind to ideate right now. time passed quickly, and before he knew it, the announcement rang from the speakers that all students had to leave the building in 15 minutes. was it really 8PM already? as soon as he stopped moving, minho's body crumbled onto the floor. the sobs that wracked his body were poorly contained as immense exhaustion washed over him. </p>
<p>but minho had no where to go. he definitely didn't want to go back to his dorm. not where chan might still be with his new fling, or perhaps even girlfriend. either way, minho was not ready to face chan after the probably very evident shock and tears after walking in on them that afternoon. </p>
<p>minho crawled towards his backpack as he gulped water. his parched throat screaming of his overwork. he knew he would regret this tomorrow, the familiar aches that would overwhelm his body. at least it was a saturday, he would enjoy his rest at home before his cuddle session with cha- ah... he would just rest tomorrow. he would probably relish in the comforting aching, knowing that something other than his heart hurt. </p>
<p>minho stumbled out his studio as the reminder from the speaker blasted again. </p>
<p>"hyung! lee know hyung!" minho turned around at the very loud screams of his name. </p>
<p>minho cocked an eyebrow at the tall figure dashing towards him. hyunjin hooked an arm over minho's shoulders, sending him a broad smile. it was too sinister for his liking. hyunjin definitely had something up his sleeves. even a tired minho could see that. </p>
<p>"hyung! we were looking for you. felix and i are going to the club tonight and they're opening up the stage for student performers. can you do a set with us?" hyunjin put on his doe eyes and pleaded with minho.</p>
<p>he would usually reject, choosing to stay home and rest after a long week. but right now, home was not somewhere he wanted to be. as if he could turn down his begging friend anyways. minho released a reluctant sigh and nodded. the beam that hyunjin gave him nearly blinded minho, as he was excitedly dragged away.</p>
<p>hyunjin rambled, "i'll bring you to my dorm first. no offence, hyung, but you're so sweaty and disgusting. i can lend you some of my clothes or something. felix will help do our makeup and we can leave at 9PM."</p>
<p>minho just mindlessly nodded along. hyunjin seemed so excited it made minho feel slightly better. maybe he should just get blackout drunk after their set. he trusted hyunjin and felix to keep him safe anyways. maybe he should have just invaded their dorms a few hours ago. save him this walk from their campus back to the dorms. but he wouldn't be able to explain his crying. not to those who relied on him in the first place. he couldn't unload on his juniors, it would be wrong of him. </p>
<p>minho was snapped out of his thoughts as he was roughly shoved into hyunjin's toilet. the only sound he was accompanied by was hyunjin's screaming to "hurry up and shower" and felix and hyunjin's hushed whispers of their excitement for tonight. minho quickly stripped down and stepped into the shower, he wasn't even sure what he was doing right now. </p>
<p>his mind was still reeling from the numbness of this afternoon. and he was trying his best to force out all thoughts of chan. god, he really didn't need to see the smiling aussie in his head everytime he shut his eyes. after a quick shower, in hopes of blocking his mind from spiralling into the unknown depths of his mind, he wrapped a towel around his waist and opened the door.</p>
<p>"lixie, what look are you going for? how should i style-dry my hair?" minho asked, stepping into hyunjin's room. </p>
<p>felix mumbled some incoherant english as he gestured minho to sit on the dresser's chair. it sounded something like "i'll take care of it" but he really couldn't hear much over hyunjin's obnoxious shuffling in his wardrobe. was hyunjin fighting a world war in there? he really saw no need for hyunjin to be chucking clothes out every minute.</p>
<p>"hyung, does this look good?" hyunjin shoved a silk top on minho's lap. </p>
<p>minho just nodded. he didn't even know what dance they were doing tonight. much less what style they were going for. </p>
<p>felix spoke first, "jinnie, you haven't even told him what we're performing. how would he help you style if he doesn't know the theme?"</p>
<p>a sheepish smile crossed hyunjin's face as he nodded, "ah yeah hyung, we're gonna do 'wow' tonight. you still remember it right? we learnt it before finals."</p>
<p>minho nodded. he did trying 'wow' once just now in his slumped practice. but the three hadn't even practiced it for weeks. he did not feel secure about this. they lacked the practice, could they even do it right? what if one of them forgot a step? what if he forgot a step? the other two probably practiced before this. what if they were out of sync? that was slightly irrational, minho hoped, considering all three were fantastic dancers with insane chemistry. but practice. they really lacked practice. and they were going to do this in public. in front of hundreds of judgemental people. well... perhaps too intoxicated to be overly judgemental, but that didn't ease minho's mind. </p>
<p>felix poked his shoulder, "hyung, i can literally hear you thinking. chill, it'll be fine."</p>
<p>minho just gave felix a small smile. his brain couldn't shut off but perhaps this would cheer him up. the two were his close friends, after chan, whom he'd really rather not think about, and for sure he could rely on them to have fun. </p>
<p>hyunjin's alarm blared at 9PM, reminding them that they ought to leave. all three donned silk shirts and matching black pants. minho's was a plain low-cut black blouse and felix's had an open back covered with sheer lace. but hyunjin, as dramatic as always, donned a netted blouse that left not much to the imagination. </p>
<p>the club was surprisingly near to hyunjin's apartment as they reached in a mere ten minute walk. the three had immediately made their way backstage, a somewhat familiar routine for the trio who had performed here twice before. as minho strapped on a small mic for any singing the three planned to do, an all too familiar voice echoed in the small room. </p>
<p>minho blinked repeatedly as he looked up. chan was here? his mind reeled as he recalled chan's schedule. of course, his DJ shift on friday nights at the end of every month. minho wanted to curse, cry at his sheer bad luck or even blame hyunjin for convincing him to come tonight. he really should've gone home and cried the night away. instead he was here, in a noisy club, standing face-to-face with the one person he was trying so desperately to avoid. </p>
<p>"minho, just now, that... she," chan was cut off when hyunjin walked into the room after taking their attendance with the performance manager.</p>
<p>hyunjin shot a friendly smile to chan and settled next to felix who was messing with his in-ears. </p>
<p>minho inhaled deeply, "um you should proabably go. your shift starts ta 9.15PM, right?"</p>
<p>chan shook his head but peeked at the curious pair peering at them from the couch. he sighed and took minho's hand. minho felt his brain short circuit. this really made zero sense to him. he had just walked in on the elder banging some girl from his class. why was chan all friendly and touchy now? minho retracted his hand and stepped back, hoping to create some distance in the small room.</p>
<p>chan's eyes flickered with something that looked akin to guilt. but before he could say anything else, the trio were called on. minho bowed slightly as he side-stepped chan. whatever chan had to say would have to wait. not that minho was sure he wanted to hear it anyways. what if chan would ask him to move out? saying that he wanted the privacy to live with his girlfriend now. god, he was so dumb to believe that he stood a chance with chan. </p>
<p>hyunjin laid his head on minho's shoulder, "hyung, did you guys fight?"</p>
<p>minho gave a tense smile, "sort of. it'll be fine. don't worry about us."</p>
<p>hyunjin shot him a look of disapproval but before he could hear his nagging, all three were announced on stage. minho took a glance back to see that chan was no longer standing behind them. he exhaled deeply. perhaps chan had left to his station. the distance made minho feel an unfamiliar sense of comfort. he steeled himself, chiding with the importance of focus. chan was seriously not his main concern right now, not as he was taking a step onto the stage.</p>
<p>as soon as the music started, minho lost himself in it. each move felt like a wave of relief. even the high-pitched screams and the flashing lights wouldn't distract him. for once, the dance was about him, and him alone. this was his comfort, his safety. he would give it his all, leaving his worries behind for the next four minutes. </p>
<p>even as he looked up, even when he locked eyes with the boy of his nightmares, jostled amongst screaming girls, he felt safe. safe from the harsh realities that chan inflicted. each wave of his body didn't feel as explicit as he would have expected. the rush of embarrassment to his cheeks didn't come. he could feel nothing but excitement as his body moved with the beat. </p>
<p>as soon as their set ended, all minho could hear were shrieks from the club-goers who had stopped dancing to watch them. a confident smile graced his face as he took the final bow with the two, and joy radiated as he stepped back backstage. </p>
<p>"time to go get some drinks!" felix yelled, starting to bounce on his heels.</p>
<p>all of them knew this feeling of exhilaration. the feeling of performing was amazing for them. nothing could compare to the high running in their veins right now. but alcohol would definitely keep their high lasting even longer. minho smirked, definitely ready and willing to prolong his excitement. he was not ready to face reality again, and he probably never would be at this rate, </p>
<p>each gulp stung minho's throat. he was never one for alcohol, never believing that it could solve life's problems. but to hell with that theory tonight. he was excited to get drunk, drunkenly unaware and blissful. minho took shot after shot, leaning on hyunjin's stable body. guess hyunjin decided to be the responsible one tonight.</p>
<p>with each drink, he felt the buzz thrilling in his bloodstream. his giggles intensified as his touches on hyunjin became more frequent. more hugs, more pecks and definitely more dancing with felix. both were highly intoxicated and losing their minds on the dance floor. minho was so grateful that he majored in dance, the comfort that he wouldn't embarrass himself on the dance floor even with a serious amount of alcohol in him. </p>
<p>it was by his ninth drink that his vision started to be dotted with black spots, and before long, he passed out on hyunjin. </p>
<p>~</p>
<p>minho groaned as his eyes fluttered open. memories of yesterday immediately flooded his mind, and minho cursed. how he wished he had slept longer, sincerely wishing to forget yesterday's incidents. at least he hadn't done anything embarrassing, or so he hoped. </p>
<p>minho slowly sat up, expecting to see hyunjin's grey covers. his head throbbed in his surprise to see his familiar white sheets. minho released another groan as he slipped out of bed, padding to the kitchen for much needed advil. it was already 10AM, chan probably left for his brunch appointment already. oh... perhaps it was with that girl. minho really didn't want to think about it right now, not while his head was being jackhammered. </p>
<p>minho shuffled to the kitchen, hands rubbing his sore muscles from his over-exertion yesterday. he would be surprised to see his favourite pyjama pants on, but he was way too tired to care. perhaps hyunjin just made a lucky guess and changed him into home attire. he shivered slightly, the cool morning air hitting his bare torso. he was always dressed like this, but somehow the home lacked its usual warmth.</p>
<p>as he turned the corner to the kitchen, he was surprised to see a hooded figure hovering over the stove. chan's grey figure would always be recogniseable to minho. it wasn't just his prominent broad shoulders, but also his familiar standing stance. rubbing the back of his neck, minho considered going back to bed. maybe he should just steal another few hours of sleep, by then, chan would have left the apartment for sure.</p>
<p>just before he could sneak away, his foot knocked into the wall, causing a loud thud and a hushed wince. chan immediately turned towards minho, and minho found himself wishing he could dig a hole and bury himself in it right then. minho gave chan a small smile, and the silence that ensued was more than awkward to say the least. </p>
<p>"minho... um, i left some advil and water on the counter. just give me another five minutes, the soup should be done by then," chan stated before whirling back to tend to his soup. </p>
<p>minho dragged his feet to the counter, each step felt like an acceptance of his fate. minho wanted to run away. where? he didn't know. but anywhere felt better than here. he really didn't want to hear chan crush his heart. he still wasn't ready to hear about how chan was straight, how chan had found a girlfriend, and how chan didn't like him back. god, minho wanted to slam his head on the table again. chan probably knew how he felt now, with the avoidance and the crying. no best friend would do that. minho was on the losing end and he wanted to crawl back to sleep.</p>
<p>the silence was suffocating as chan placed the soup in front of minho. with a small thanks, minho hoped that chan would be leaving for his brunch appointment. alas, his bad luck would have it, chan sat down on his seat opposite him. minho purposefully avoided chan's gaze. how interesting the soup was, minho would rather start counting how many pieces of carrots his bowl contained.</p>
<p>"minho..." chan started.</p>
<p>his spoon froze in mid-air. minho clenched his eyes shut as he brought his shaking hand towards his mouth. he really wasn't ready for this. with the small sip of his soup, he tried to convince himself all would be okay if he managed to convince chan that it was just a friendly slip-up and laugh it off. his years of fake smiles would come into good use. </p>
<p>"i... uh... i brought you back last night," minho would boil hyunjin alive, "and... you said some things in the car."</p>
<p>minho wanted to cry. he could feel his eyes welling up with tears and he clenched his empty fist in hopes to stop them. his nails dug into his palm as he put down his spoon. why was he always on the losing end? he was sure nothing chan heard would be beneficial for him. </p>
<p>"minnie..." chan really shouldn't be using his nickname right now, minho would really start bawling, "i like you too."</p>
<p>minho froze. this was definitely not what he expected. he finally adverted his gaze from his soup to chan. the chan sitting in front of him was extremely unfamiliar to him. never had he seen chan so nervous, so unconfident. a part of minho wanted to reach forward and pinch his cheeks with squeals of how cute he is. but the logical side of minho was still around.</p>
<p>"too? what... what did i say last night?" minho really had to know what shame he had brought on himself. </p>
<p>even if his heart was skyrocketing with the news that chan might reciprocate his feelings, none of his questions were answered. what about that girl? is chan joking? is chan pitying him? is chan going to laugh at him and kick him out of the apartment? despite the rational part of him knowing that chan was too caring and kind to do the latter, he couldn't help but worry about the worst scenarios.</p>
<p>chan flushed a bright red, almost matching to his hair, "you... uh... told me how much you liked me... and my smiles, and my dimples..."</p>
<p>minho was ready to die. he knew chan was definitely withholding information but even with that, minho was eveready to jump out their window despite his crippling fear of heights.</p>
<p>"and... you were so angry... hurt, about what you saw," chan cautiously stated.</p>
<p>minho choked on his saliva. well, he really had everything out in the open now. he schooled his features back to his usual one of boredom, shrugging his shoulders to play off his intense embarrassment. </p>
<p>chan continued, "minnie... about yesterday... it was just a really bad decision on my part. i don't think i'm even straight enough for that."</p>
<p>minho could feel a spark of hope alighting in his chest. was there really a chance that chan truly liked him back?</p>
<p>"but... then, why?"</p>
<p>chan flushed even redder than minho thought he could be. even the tips of his ears were a bright red. minho should really take a picture of this.</p>
<p>chan chuckled nervously, "i... uh... pretty much have liked you for a year now... and i thought we had something, you know? with all the cuddles and study dates. but i went to pick you up at your studio once and you were lying on hyunjin... and i thought you guys were dating or something so i was trying to ditch my feelings for you... but i actually had a chat with hyunjin last night... while you were drunk. and yeah... found out he was dating jisung."</p>
<p>minho could feel the tears falling down his face. well, this was very unexpected. he felt his heart pounding harder in his chest, more intensely that the subsiding headache. he could feel nothing but hope and joy as his hands relaxed by his side.</p>
<p>chan reached out to wipe minho's tears, which did not help him at all. minho ended up crying more intensely. </p>
<p>"did i say something wrong? minnie... please, i really like you. i do," chan repeated, moving to kneel by minho's side. </p>
<p>minho was sure he was unable to form a coherant sentence. so he did the next best thing. he leaned forward towards the concerned chan, and pressed his lips against the elder. it was soft and gentle, as chan smiled against his lips. minho expected the fireworks, the butterflies. and he would've been disappointed to find none. but he much preferred the comfort, safety and happiness chan's kisses gave him, the familiarity rather than the short-term excitement.</p>
<p>as they broke apart, minho gazed at chan sincerely, eyes no longer clouded by tears. chan's familiar dimples greeted him, illuminated by the backlight of the sun. it was a perfect morning, even for someone with a hangover. minho really couldn't have expected anything better than being in his newly coined boyfriend's arms as he was fed breakfast.</p>
<p>"i like you a lot too, channie. but just so you know, i failed english."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>please watch ‘wow’ by danceracha if you haven’t omg it’s so good and 🥵🥵🥵</p>
<p>anyways, i hope you enjoyed this! i’m considering writing a part two in chan’s pov</p></blockquote></div></div>
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